Sanctions against DUP ministers

Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers have decided to take sanctions against the two Democratic Unionist Party ministers as a result of their attitude to the executive.

DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson and assemblyman Nigel Dodds were reinstated as ministers for regional development and social affairs when assembly executive was reformed last week.

But they have refused to take their seats on the executive because of its inclusion of Sinn Fein and have said they may rotate the posts around other party members to stop pro-agreement parties taking them.

Following a meeting of the Northern Ireland cabinet on Thursday afternoon, David Trimble and Seamus Mallon announced that Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds would no longer receive executive committee papers.

Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon said they needed assurances from the DUP ministers that the confidentiality of executive committee business would be preserved.

They said the two DUP ministers would still receive executive papers deemed relevant to their departments, but would not receive any other material.